Canoe

WASHINGTON (AP) -- At least 155 federal computers systems -- some with sensitive research information or personal data on Americans -- were temporarily taken over by hackers last year, according to a review that found widespread lax computer security.

The government's lack of safeguards against domestic and foreign attackers who struck 32 federal agencies last year is "chilling," one congresswoman said.

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A month ago, subcommittee chairman Rep. James Greenwood, R-Pa., demanded updates from 15 federal agencies to check their compliance with federal security regulations. Very few had done even cursory checks of the integrity of their defenses, he said.

The committee also released a February computer security study by overseers at the Health Care Financing Administration, which controls Medicare. The report found numerous weaknesses that permitted unauthorized access to the medical information of Medicare recipients, Tauzin said.

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), April 05, 2001